Sri Lanka ‘will not be divided’

Press, 15 August 1984, Page 10

Sri Lanka ‘will not be divided’

NZPA-Reuter Colombo The Sri Lankan President, Junius Jayawardene, has said he would not allow the nation to be divided as troops continued to battle separatist guerrillas demanding an independent Tamil State.

The State-owned radio yesterday quoted Mr Jayawardene as saying, “I will not allow certain sections to divide this country." The President told a rally in central Sri Lanka that the Sinhalese should be able to live in the Tamil-domin-ated northern parts of the island and that Tamils had a right to live in the southern areas.

Tamil guerrillas are fighting for a separate State in the northern and eastern provinces, accusing the Sinhalese of discriminating against them. The rebels launched a new offensive on August 4, stepping up attacks with bombs and guns on security personnel, police stations and banks. The death toll in the violence between separatists and the security forces in the last 10 days has risen to 95, including 12 servicemen killed, according to official figures. Unofficial sources put the number of casualties much higher. Ten guerrillas were shot dead at Kaithady on Monday in the troubled Jaffna district in a battle With security forces, the Defence Ministry said. The clash erupted when a military convoy challenged a van carrying a group of rebels, the Ministry said. During the skirmish several guerrillas fled to nearby houses and troops arrested nine after cordoning off the area.

In another incident guerrillas armed with guns and bombs stormed a police station in the far northern town of Kayts, the Ministry said. Five rebels were killed. ?